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and their customsthe wild beasts； and he had always had a
droll way of drawing striking comparisons between savage
animals and civilized men that showed a considerable
knowledge of the former； and a keen； though somewhat cynical；
estimate of the latter。
When Monsieur Thuran stopped again to chat with her in
the afternoon she welcomed the break in the day's monotony。
But she had begun to become seriously concerned in Mr。
Caldwell's continued absence； somehow she constantly
associated it with the start she had had the night before；
when the dark object fell past her port into the sea。
Presently she broached the subject to Monsieur Thuran。
Had he seen Mr。 Caldwell today？ He had not。 Why？
〃He was not at breakfast as usual； nor have I seen him
once since yesterday；〃 explained the girl。
Monsieur Thuran was extremely solicitous。
〃I did not have the pleasure of intimate acquaintance
with Mr。 Caldwell；〃 he said。 〃He seemed a most estimable
gentleman； however。 Can it be that he is indisposed；
and has remained in his stateroom？ It would not be strange。〃
〃No；〃 replied the girl； 〃it would not be strange； of course；
but for some inexplicable reason I have one of those foolish
feminine presentiments that all is not right with Mr。 Caldwell。
It is the strangest feelingit is as though I knew that
he was not on board the ship。〃
Monsieur Thuran laughed pleasantly。 〃Mercy； my dear
Miss Strong；〃 he said； 〃where in the world could he be then？
We have not been within sight of land for days。〃
〃Of course； it is ridiculous of me；〃 she admitted。 And then：
〃But I am not going to worry about it any longer； I
am going to find out where Mr。 Caldwell is；〃 and she
motioned to a passing steward。
〃That may be more difficult than you imagine； my dear girl；〃
thought Monsieur Thuran； but aloud he said： 〃By all means。〃
〃Find Mr。 Caldwell； please；〃 she said to the steward； 〃and tell
him that his friends are much worried by his continued absence。〃
〃You are very fond of Mr。 Caldwell？〃 suggested Monsieur Thuran。
〃I think he is splendid；〃 replied the girl。 〃And mamma is
perfectly infatuated with him。 He is the sort of man with
whom one has a feeling of perfect securityno one could
help but have confidence in Mr。 Caldwell。〃
A moment later the steward returned to say that Mr。 Caldwell
was not in his stateroom。 〃I cannot find him； Miss Strong；
and〃he hesitated〃I have learned that his berth was not
occupied last night。 I think that I had better report the
matter to the captain。〃
〃Most assuredly；〃 exclaimed Miss Strong。 〃I shall go
with you to the captain myself。 It is terrible！ I know that
something awful has happened。 My presentiments were not
false； after all。〃
It was a very frightened young woman and an excited steward
who presented themselves before the captain a few moments later。
He listened to their stories in silencea look of concern
marking his expression as the steward assured him that he
had sought for the missing passenger in every part of the
ship that a passenger might be expected to frequent。
〃And are you sure； Miss Strong； that you saw a body fall
overboard last night？〃 he asked。
〃There is not the slightest doubt about that；〃 she answered。
〃I cannot say that it was a human bodythere was no outcry。
It might have been only what I thought it wasa bundle of refuse。
But if Mr。 Caldwell is not found on board I shall always be
positive that it was he whom I saw fall past my port。〃
The captain ordered an immediate and thorough search
of the entire ship from stem to sternno nook or cranny was
to be overlooked。 Miss Strong remained in his cabin； waiting
the outcome of the quest。 The captain asked her many
questions； but she could tell him nothing about the missing
man other than what she had herself seen during their brief
acquaintance on shipboard。 For the first time she suddenly
realized how very little indeed Mr。 Caldwell had told her about
himself or his past life。 That he had been born in Africa
and educated in Paris was about all she knew； and this
meager information had been the result of her surprise that
an Englishman should speak English with such a marked
French accent。
〃Did he ever speak of any enemies？〃 asked the captain。
〃Never。〃
〃Was he acquainted with any of the other passengers？〃
〃Only as he had been with methrough the circumstance
of casual meeting as fellow shipmates。〃
〃Erwas he； in your opinion； Miss Strong； a man who
drank to excess？〃
〃I do not know that he drank at allhe certainly had not
been drinking up to half an hour before I saw that body
fall overboard；〃 she answered； 〃for I was with him on deck
up to that time。〃
〃It is very strange；〃 said the captain。 〃He did not look
to me like a man who was subject to fainting spells； or
anything of that sort。 And even had he been it is scarcely
credible that he should have fallen completely over the
rail had he been taken with an attack while leaning upon it
he would rather have fallen inside； upon the deck。 If he is
not on board； Miss Strong； he was thrown overboardand
the fact that you heard no outcry would lead to the assumption
that he was dead before he left the ship's deckmurdered。〃
The girl shuddered。
It was a full hour later that the first officer returned to
report the outcome of the search。
〃Mr。 Caldwell is not on board； sir；〃 he said。
〃I fear that there is something more serious than accident
here； Mr。 Brently；〃 said the captain。 〃I wish that you would
make a personal and very careful examination of Mr。 Caldwell's
effects； to ascertain if there is any clew to a motive either
for suicide or murdersift the thing to the bottom。〃
〃Aye； aye； sir！〃 responded Mr。 Brently； and left to commence
his investigation。
Hazel Strong was prostrated。 For two days she did not
leave her cabin； and when she finally ventured on deck she was
very wan and white； with great； dark circles beneath her eyes。
Waking or sleeping； it seemed that she constantly saw that
dark body dropping； swift and silent； into the cold； grim sea。
Shortly after her first appearance on deck following the
tragedy； Monsieur Thuran joined her with many expressions
of kindly solicitude。
〃Oh； but it is terrible； Miss Strong；〃 he said。 〃I cannot rid
my mind of it。〃
〃Nor I；〃 said the girl wearily。 〃I feel that he might have
been saved had I but given the alarm。〃
〃You must not reproach yourself； my dear Miss Strong；〃
urged Monsieur Thuran。 〃It was in no way your fault。
Another would have done as you did。 Who would think that
because something fell into the sea from a ship that it must
necessarily be a man？ Nor would the outcome have been
different had you given an alarm。 For a while they would
have doubted your story； thinking it but the nervous
hallucination of a womanhad you insisted it would have been
too late